(MENAFN) Chinese Premier Li Qiang touched down in Egypt on Wednesday, signaling a pivotal move by Beijing to strengthen its alliance with Cairo—a key American partner and a dominant force in the region.

China revealed the two-day diplomatic mission last week, highlighting that “under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, the bilateral relationship has flourished, political mutual trust has been deepened and practical cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results.”

Andrea Ghiselli, a University of Exeter lecturer and head of research at the TOChina Hub’s ChinaMed Project, described the visit as a rare and symbolic gesture by a Chinese leader in this strategic region, speaking to media.

Experts like Ghiselli view the trip as a crucial move to advance cooperation across defense, commerce, technology, and infrastructure.

“China certainly is trying to seize the moment of uncertainty in Washington’s relationship with Cairo under the second Trump administration to deepen and expand its ties,” William Yang, senior Northeast Asia analyst at the International Crisis Group, told media.

The two nations have engaged in multiple high-profile meetings recently, notably during Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s state visit to Beijing last May, where he also participated in the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

Yang noted that the rising frequency of such exchanges is driving momentum in a relationship that “clearly contains strategic importance to China’s efforts to increase its presence and influence in North Africa.”

“The region is tired of the West, and the West is also tired of the region because of endless wars,” Ghiselli further noted.

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